Lifelines : Sailor Moon
by MakotoJade
Summary: Lifelines is a Series about self-discovery and understanding. They are short and to the point. My favorite so far are the Makoto and Michiru ones. Thanks for reading
1. Makoto

Lifelines: Makoto

**This was the very first concept I came up with, and, yes, I am still wearing _MY_ rose earrings, too, even after all these years. Sometimes 1992 seems so far away, and sometimes I'm still there in my dreams.**

Prologue Statement:

They had been walking. That was all. Harmless, innocent. But when you are important, sometimes no one cares what you are doing just then, but what you have done before, or maybe, what you will do...

"Usagi-chan... come on!" Makoto yelled back once more at her blonde friend.

"I'm... coming... please... don't... run... so... fast..."

"But we were supposed to be at the park almost fifteen minutes ago!"

"I... know... but... I'm... always... late... Aw, Mako-chan, please!"

Makoto, annoyed, slowed her pace, "Alright, but you tell them all that it was your fault, admit it openly."

"Mako-chaaaaaan!"

"USAGI!"

"Alright... hmph..."

Makoto shook her head. _How can I be friends with this flake? Ah, but you must remember that she isn't a flake all of the time..._ She looked back at Usagi. "Oh, I'm sorry I yelled, but we are going to be really late."

Usagi looked up at her, "Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, too." She flashed one of her fabulous smiles, "Actually I can't wait to get to the park, I haven't been there in a long time. It's gonna be fun."

"All we're doing is going on a walk, Usagi."

"Yeah," the blonde smiled once again, "but you never know who could be taking a walk in the park, or a mid-afternoon exercise jog, for that matter..." She thought about that for a second, "Mako-chan, on second thought, let's run!" She took off in a reckless sprint.

Makoto sighed as she started jogging to keep up. _I should have lied and told her Mamoru was going to be there in the first place... we would've been early!_

After a couple more minutes they were in the park, and Rei was yelling, as usual. "Where were you two, we were supposed to meet here over twenty minutes ago?"

Makoto started to say something when Usagi began, "I'm sorry Rei-chan, but it's all my fault. Mako-chan had to drag me out of bed and I didn't feel like running... for awhile."

Makoto smiled, _she actually did it!_

Usagi's frankness stopped Rei dead in her tracks. "Um, well, you just remember that you're still late... yeah, you're still late."

Minako laughed. "Alright, let's go you guys." The five turned towards the trail and, walking, formed a line. "Hey did you all hear about that concert?"

"Oh yeah! I was gonna ask you all if you wanted to go, I can get tickets."

"Really!"

"WOW. Do I ever!"

How could these five girls possibly be the founders of Crystal Tokyo? Its eyes focused once again on the small group of teenagers. They seem so ordinary...

_DROID!_

_Yes?_

_Have you dispensed with the girls yet?_

_No... I was merely-_

_ENOUGH! Take on your true form and attack!_

_As you command._

It gave up all conscious thought as it transformed into its true form; claws and fangs, scales and fur, all mangled together into a great monstrosity which was one of the best attack droids in the realm of the Dark Moon.

It moved, running and jumping, until it sat in a tree just over the trail... just a few more seconds...

Minako laughed, "Usagi-chan, please, he might have stayed home today! Anyways aren't you two going someplace tonight?"

"Yeah."

Rei glared at her, "Well, can you possibly be a little more considerate to us? This is supposed to be friends hanging out together, not you blabbing about and looking for Mamoru all da-" she paused, "I sense something..."

Ami looked at her, "Rei what is-"

She was abruptly cut off as something dove out of the tree overhead, landing on Usagi. Before any of it had registered in any of their minds, it brought it's claws up and slashed twice, Usagi giving off a blood curdling scream from beneath it.

Rei slammed into it knocking it off of her. Minako dove for their fallen friend, pulling her away. Makoto was already transforming and she caught blue light out of the corner of her eye and knew Ami as doing the same.

Minako looked down at Usagi, horrified. Her brain buzzed in the slowness of a moment when everything around them was happening so fast. One of Usagi's arms was absolutely shredded and blood was oozing through her shirt. Minako quickly tore it off. Her middle section was cut open completely.

Minako almost screamed, almost convulsed, almost went into shock, but she knew she couldn't... her friend might still have a chance… somehow.

She quickly jumped up, pulled out her phone, and called for an emergency ambulance. As soon as she got off the phone, she doubled over and vomited. Then she jolted her hand high in the air, shouted "VENUS STAR POWER... MAKE UP!", and was running into the fight.

Exhausted, Sailor Jupiter once again attacked the monster... "Supreme THUNDER!" She only succeeded in making it hesitate before diving at Sailor Mercury. Mercury tried to attack but was being pinned to the ground before she could summon the words. The monster dug into her, as it had Usagi, and her bloody scream blasted through the park. They were usually the diversion, and then Sailor Moon finished them off. Without her…

Sailor Mars cried and dove at the dark being once more now, screaming and chanting a ward as she did. This time it was prepared and batted her away like a fly. Suddenly, Sailor Venus's crescent beam lashed out of nowhere and shocked the monster, his attention diverted for just a moment... a moment enough.

"God of Jupiter, king of the cosmos; HELP ME! JUPITER THUNDER DRAGONNNN!" The potent green electricity consumed the monster as Sailor Mars pulled Sailor Mercury out of the way. And yet the monster still tried to fight the power.

"GODDAMNIT DEMON! You will NOT WIN!" a rage like the hottest fire swept through her as she called upon all of the reserves she could muster... "SUPREME THUNDER! SPARKLING WIDE PRESSURE! FORCES OF NATURE, END THIS HERE!" A cataclysmic wave of energy erupted from Jupiter as she screamed.

The monster was dust in a matter of seconds, but she continued to blast at it, screaming in rage.

"Sailor Jupiter! Stop!" Venus yelled at her.

"Makoto, please!" a weak Mercury pled.

"Makoto! It's over-" Mars started.

But for Sailor Jupiter it was not over. She had not won. She had paid a price.

The pouring forth of green energy lasted for several more seconds.

And with a blinding white light, it ended. Jupiter stood for a moment staring at the spot, green eyes blazing... Then they faded as she fell to the ground... no longer breathing... no longer alive...

Venus screamed and Mars rushed to her side... "nothing...not a pulse... nothing... she... she's..."

A lone soul floating in and amongst the dark emptiness of nothingness...

_So this is what death is supposed to be like, huh?_ Makoto found herself, hersoul, drifting in a green cloudy expanse._ Funny, I would have expected fire..._

She drifted. Her life flashed through her disembodied mind. There was love, passion, friendship, joy, but then, slowly she discovered that these three emotions were felt few and far between. Mostly there was hate, rage, death, all intermingled with a strange sort-of sadness in the form of a question. _Why?_ She fumbled with the question, now, for the first time, and discovered she had no answer. Why had her life had been so awful.

"Princess?" Makoto could hear words floating around her. And then she suddenly found herself in a body, somewhat like her own, and wearing a light green dress that seemed to swirl around her. She gazed at her surroundings, she seemed to be in the middle of an ancient ruin... she thought she had seen this place before...

"Jupiter?" Makoto spun to face the voice that had called her name behind her. A woman in a long white dress stood before her and as she looked at her head a certain pairing of words came to her mind... odango atama... She knew who it was.

"Queen Serenity. Is this my old body? Are we in the Moon Kingdom?"

The queen looked confused, "Yes, you look as you did over a thousand years ago, and yes this is the Moon Kingdom... but, why are you here? I had thought maybe you were the Princess. She often finds her way here in her dreams."

Makoto found no easy way to put it, "I'm dead." She had expected the Queen to be startled, possibly shocked to tears. Instead she chuckled slightly. "No, Jupiter... If you were dead you wouldn't be here, but there must be a purpose as to why you are here. Tell me, what happened?"

Jupiter told her of the walk in the park, the attack on Usagi, their defense, and then of what she had done. "It was uncontrollable, sheer energy pouring forth. And when it was over I was here... I assumed I had died, why else would I be here?"

"Because I couldn't let my daughter die." Makoto spun to the sound of the new voice. Queen Serenity also turned, shocked to hear another voice.

A woman floated a short ways away from them. Tall, with dark brown hair, she wore what looked to be a light green sheet, although it, and she herself seemed rather blurry... out of focus.

Makoto stared at her for a moment, and then an image jumped into her consciousness. She grabbed it, and using it, she found she could remember more and more, until at last she was sure of whom it was.

"MOTHER!" Makoto started to run towards her, but found that she was not accustomed to running in a dress. She stepped on the bottom edge and tumbled out across the ground.

A beautiful laughter rang out into the air. "AcK! And I thought it was her daughter who was the klutz!" the woman motioned at Queen Serenity.

Makoto grinned as she pulled herself up. This time she pulled the dress above her feet as she quickly took the rest of the distance between them and then flung herself at her mother. For a moment she stood there... and then she looked up. It was almost as if she stared into a mirror.

"Mother, I can't believe this! Well, then... It's hard to believe anything that has happened today. I thought you were dead... no, I know you're dead... and that means if I am truly seeing you, I'm dead too... but Serenity says I'm not... I really am having a hard time understanding things right now..."

"So am I." Makoto turned to see Queen Serenity standing not too far behind her, looking shocked and confused, and staring right at the other woman. "Juno... is that actually you?" The woman nodded.

Now it was time for them to embrace as Makoto moved aside for a moment. The two women parted and Queen Serenity started, "How are you still here? What's... Why..."

Queen Juno smiled and looked from her friend to her daughter.

"I'll explain to both of you... it's not that complicated, actually. You see, I was on the Moon on the night of the attack. So when everyone was taken by the crystal, I was taken too-"

"Why were you here? Why didn't I hear about it?" Serenity interrupted.

"Because I knew what was going to happen. If you recall, I had the gift of foresight... I saw the future and knew what was going to transpire-"

"Then why didn't you warn me! Why didn't you stop it! My daughter-"

"All our daughters. It was too late, and the time stream cannot be altered, our fates are there. I went because... well because I knew my planet was going to be destroyed, and I knew I would have died there. The only life left, the only chance to see my daughter grow up was to be sent to the future."

"But what about-"

"My husband?" Juno smiled a wistful smile as the memory came back to her, "He wouldn't leave Jupiter, he was going to stay with his people and fight until the end. He wanted me to go... wanted someone to follow and watch over our daughter.

"So I did. And I was reborn, but with no recollection whatsoever of my past life. I lived a somewhat stable life. I met a man, fell in love with him, and we married. In time, we had a child, a daughter..."

Juno looked at Makoto and smiled, "Your face, little one. Your face is what brought everything back. As I first placed my eyes on you I remembered... everything."

"I wanted to tell you everything... about the past, you, your friends, this time... but with my knowledge... my gift once again came back to me. I knew about the plane. Knew I had to get on it, knew I was going to die. It was as if the fates suddenly realized that I had been reincarnated too, and that I wasn't going to be allowed to help you, later, in you battle against Metalia... There was nothing I could do about it. I kept thinking about my wish... both our wishes, that you would be happy... and live the life you were meant to live.

"I remembered something from long ago about leaving a part of your soul behind. So I took something very dear to me and forced a part of my soul into it. Then I left a note, a last wish, and got on that plane... and died."

Juno reached a hand out to Makoto and touched the earring on her right ear. "I'm glad you still had them on."

Tears freely fell down Makoto's face. "You said to. The only thing I can still clearly remember after you died was reading that note. 'Makoto, I am sorry, and I hope you can forgive me for leaving you like this. Please, wear the roses always, and remember your father and I.' I always thought that note sounded like you knew you were going to die... and you did. Dad gave you those- these earrings, didn't he?" Her mother nodded. "Did you love him... once you remembered the past? I always thought you two were happy."

Juno nodded again. "Yes, I did love him, he was very good to me, and to you."

"But, mother... why am I here now? How can I still be alive?"

"Because of the earrings, I did not completely die. I've been watching you, keeping an eye on you. I thought if anything ever happened to you, I could give you an extra chance. I almost intervened several times, but her daughter," Juno once again motioned to Serenity, "saved you then. She couldn't this time though. I knew I had to grab you before you passed over to the other side."

Suddenly she began to become even more blurry then she already was. Makoto leaped out and grabbed her, "Mother!"

"Oh, my little Makoto... I've spent my chance... It's my turn to pass over the other side now." She blurred even more.

"NO!" Makoto cried and held onto her mother.

"Neither the expanse of time or space can keep forces apart for long... I promise you my daughter, when your time actually comes, I will be waiting for you, so do not be afraid."

Makoto squeezed her eyes shut, intending to cry out again...

"USAGI!"

"Alright... hmph..."

Makoto shook her head. _Wait a minute... that was not what I was going to say..._ She looked around her and suddenly realized she was no longer on the Moon. She was on a sidewalk... Usagi stood in front of her.

She could have said a thousand things, all of the questions that spontaneously burst into her mind... but her mouth said "Oh, I'm sorry I yelled, but we are going to be really late."

Usagi looked up at her, "Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, too." She flashed one of her fabulous smiles, "Actually I can't wait to get to the park, I haven't been there in a long time. It's gonna be fun."

_Everything is happening over again... She sent me back to set things right... I have a second chance... Oh, Mother! _

"All we're doing is going on a walk, Usagi."

"Yeah," the blonde smiled once again, "but you never know who could be taking a walk in the park, or a midafternoon exercise jog, for that matter..." She thought about that for a second, "Mako-chan, on second thought, let's run!" She took off in a reckless sprint.

Makoto started jogging to keep up. _I've got to figure out what to do without tipping off the beast early that I know its there. I can't let the same thing happen again! Usagi may have died from those wounds!_

In a couple more minutes they were in the park, Makoto was still thinking, and Rei was yelling, "Where were you two, we were supposed to meet here over twenty minutes ago?"

Makoto didn't say a word, simply looked at Usagi and the blonde began to speak, "I'm sorry Rei, but it's all my fault. Mako-chan had to drag me out of bed and I didn't feel like running... for awhile."

Makoto smiled, _This is actually a little fun..._

Usagi's frankness stopped Rei dead in her tracks. "Um, well, you just remember that you're still late... yeah, you're still late."

Minako laughed. "Alright, let's go you guys." The five turned towards the trail and, walking, formed a line. "Hey did you all hear about that concert?"

"Oh yeah! I was gonna ask you all if you wanted to go, I can get tickets."

"Really!"

"WOW. Do I ever!"

As they started to walk, Makoto's thoughts flew through her mind, _I can't do too much different, or the monster won't attack- What am I going to do?_

Makoto still did not know exactly what she was going to do... and they were at the tree...

Minako laughed, "Usagi, please, he might have stayed home today! Anyways aren't you two going someplace tonight?"

"Yeah."

Rei glared at her, " Well, can you possibly be a little more considerate to us? This is supposed to be friends hanging out together, not you blabbing about and looking for Mamoru all da-" she paused, "I sense something..."

Makoto knew exactly what she had to do.

Ami looked at Rei, and opened her mouth to say something-

Makoto dove at Usagi, bodily moving her out of the way as something dove out of the tree. Then she spun back towards it, screamed, "EVERYBODY TRANSFORM!", and then dove at it with all her might. She and the thing went tumbling forewords as she heard several, "STAR POWERS!" behind her. She punched, kicked and fought the thing for as long as she could, but it was too powerful for her. In a minute, it had her pinned to the ground, claws poised above her-

"SHINY AQUA... ILLUSION!"

A blast of ice threw the thing off of her. She scrambled backwards and away-

"BURNING... MANDALA!"

The circles of red flame hit the creature and made it stumble back a bit further...

"MOON PRINCESS...ILLUSION!"

And then the creature was no more.

Four Sailor Senshi turned to look at her. "How- How did you know?"

Kino Makoto simply smiled and fingered one of her earrings. "My guardian angel told me..."

_Thank you mother...thank you for a second chance..._

End.


	2. Michiru

            Lifelines     
               Michiru   
            By : MakotoJade    
     
            Oh gods, what am I going to do?     
     
            Sailor Neptune hid in the shadows and watched as the most horrible night in her life continued to unfold before her eyes.     
            Foreword, and to her right, Sailor Moon lay, with a thick spike of rock protruding through her left thigh, and another through the right side of her chest... she lay bleeding, unmoving... dying...     
            Sailor Uranus... Haruka... was on the left... dying as well, yet, struggling to stand even so, trying to get to Sailor Moon, to protect her...     
            The others... she still could not figure out where the others were...     
            The youma suddenly screamed.  It was going to attack again.  It's attack would be fatal this time... both Sailor Moon and Ura-- Haruka...  would die...     
            No!!!     
            The youma stopped screaming and suddenly looked in her direction, as if it had heard her thought.  Wide-eyed, she cleared her mind of all thoughts, and in a second the thing looked away... but turned back to it's attack...     
            I have enough time to get to one of them and teleport away.  One of them... one of them... one of them...     
            To choose... she'd hoped that she would never have to choose.  But she knew she'd have to... sometime...  I know my duty... I know what I'm supposed to do... Usagi... but... I can't... Haruka...     
     
            I won't choose!!   
     
            She screamed with her mind and her voice as she burst from her hiding place.  The youma spun to look at her.  She summoned more power then she had ever dared to call before as she ran... and then released it in the thing's face.     
     
            "Deep SUBMERGE!!!"     
     
            The entire shock was too much for the youma, and it failed to    
react in time and was destroyed.     
            Sailor Neptune gasped, exhausted, and then began to move    
towards Haruka-- when she suddenly found her hands and ankles bound,    
and the ground rushed up to meet her.     
            The fall blanked her out for a moment, and then she opened her    
eyes and struggled to her knees.  She glanced down at her ankles...     
            "Energy Bonds."     
            She jerked her head up to the new voice.  A woman with an aura    
more evil then she had ever seen before stood not seven feet from her.     
How'd she get--     
            "I'm very fast.  That was a very risky attack, you could have been    
killed."     
            She read my mind... gods...  "I am of no consequence.  They    
are."     
            The woman nodded,  "Oh yes, I know."  She motioned at Haruka,    
whom had finally slumped to the ground, unable to move... dying, or    
possibly dead... "That one is your love."  She then motioned to Sailor    
Moon, who was now, horribly for her, awake, watching the scene with    
frightened eyes, as well as her own blood trickle down the rock that almost    
interrupted her view.  "And that one is your messiah."     
            Neptune stared at this woman... how could she know all--     
            "I am a mind reader, young one, and I know the future, and I am    
here to change it."     
            She paced for a moment.  Neptune watched her... carefully...    
maybe she could get out of these     
things.  She moved her arms and winced as pain shot up through her.     
            The woman stopped and looked at her, laughing.  "Ah, young one,    
even though they weren't active right away, the energy bonds are now...     
and you can't get out of energy bonds!  You're body will be entirely    
electrocuted if you stress them for more than about seven seconds, and    
those seven seconds might just kill you anyways.  They cannot be broken...    
stronger than any rope, any plastic, any metal... no one could ever get out...     
Foolish you are, young one."  She laughed again, and then looked away for    
a moment, and then continued to pace.     
            Neptune looked back at Haruka.  She hadn't moved for quite    
awhile now.  That wasn't like Haruka, to give up... she might actually be    
dead...      
            She fought the thickness in her throat and the moisture in her eyes    
as she quickly turned away.  No!!  I mustn't think that... She has to be    
alive... She can't die!!!  But the tears fell from her eyes...     
            She turned to look at Sailor Moon.  The other girl was looking in    
Haruka's direction, tears streaming from her eyes.  Then she turned to    
Neptune, "Mi-  Mic--"  blood drizzled from her mouth...     
            By the gods, she lays dying herself and she can only think of    
me... of others... she can't ever think of herself... She IS the light of the    
world... I can't let anything happen to her... She mustn't die!!     
     
            "I hear your mental struggle, young one."     
     
            She had almost forgotten the dark woman, and slowly turned face    
her.  "Oh, do you now?"     
            The woman smirked, "Such evil--"     
            Neptune almost growled as she interrupted, "NO!  You are the    
evil here... you sent the youma, didn't you?  You have destroyed this place,    
my friends... you are evil."     
            The other woman looked at her for a moment, as if regarding her    
for a moment, and then started, "I think physical violence isn't as evil as    
the torrent of confusion that continues to run through your mind.  Sacrifice    
the messiah of this world just to save your love, just so you, one person can    
be happy.  Me evil... indeed."     
            She's wrong!  I wouldn't have to sacrifice anyone,  I'll fight and    
sacrifice myself... I won't choose...     
            The woman laughed, "You refuse to even answer the question... to    
make the choice, even in your mind!!  You can decide, c'mon, it's easy...    
whom would you save--"     
            She was cut off abruptly by a fierce cry.  Haruka leapt up from the    
ground and charged the woman, sword bearing down on her.     
            In a split second, the dark woman angrily raised her hand, and    
from a cartridge attached to her wrist shot an arrow-like dart which caught    
Haruka in the right shoulder.  Haruka stumbled for a moment, and then    
ripped the thing from her shoulder, raising the sword again to run at the    
woman...     
            And suddenly the sword fell from her hands, clattering away on    
the floor.  Her arms fell to her sides, and then she turned to look at    
Neptune.  "Michiru..."  Then she fell foreword, landing hard on the     
ground.     
            "HARUKA!!!"  Neptune screamed as tears burst from her eyes.     
"NO!!"     
            "Poison darts, don't you love them?"     
            She heard Sailor Moon cry out behind her, "Haru-... no..."     
            Neptune quickly swiveled around to look at the other girl.  She    
was whiter than a ghost... blood now came in a steady stream from her    
mouth.  She needed help, fast... and all that was in her eyes was a     
pain at the loss of Haruka...     
            She turned back.  "Haruka..." she softly moaned... "Haruka..."     
            The woman laughed, "Don't worry young one, she's not dead, I'm    
leaving that up to you."     
            Relief and confusion leads to horrible conclusion. "What?"    
Neptune whispered.     
            "It's up to you.  I'll kill one of them, and let the other one live.     
You just pick which one, and I'll kill her.  Decide.  Which one should    
die?"     
            No!!  No... I won't...  "I won't choose!"     
            The woman laughed, "Well, then I'll kill them both!"     
            Neptune's heart went to ice... No... no... NO!!!  How can I    
possibly choose... both have to live... I can't...  "NOOOO!!!!"  She fought    
the bonds, and the pain surged through her.  She screamed and continued    
to fight, until she fell to the floor, out of energy, unable to do much but    
breathe.     
            She cried.  Tears streamed down her face.  If she had any energy    
at all... she would have sobbed, cried out...  No!!  I CAN'T!!     
            The woman's laughter rang out, "Is it that hard a choice?!?"     
            From behind her, she heard Sailor Moon, "Chos-- choos-- not m--    
sav-- Haru--"     
            Now she did have enough energy to cry out her sob, and she did,    
and moaned in utter despair... Even now, she would let herself die...    
NNOO!!  I can't.  Her body quaked as she cried.  I can't choose!!  NO!!     
     
            And in one moment she opened her eyes, which had been closed    
since she had fallen, and she discovered that she lay not a foot from    
Haruka.       
     
            She stared into her eyes.     
     
            Haruka mouthed four words.     
     
            Me.     
     
            I     
     
            Love     
     
            You.     
     
            Michiru suddenly ceased crying.  Her heart still screamed in pain.     
She mouthed back, I love you... forever.     
     
            Haruka gave her a sideways smile and mouthed, Forever.     
     
            As the tears came again she stared at Haruka once more and then    
slowly pushed herself to her knees.  She turned to look at the woman.     
            "Well, have you made your choice?  Not that it was hard."     
            "Sailor Moon."     
            "I knew it--"     
            "No, Sailor Moon, let Sailor Moon live... Sailor Moon lives."     
            The woman looked at her, horribly shocked, "What?!?!"     
            Anger blazed in Neptune as she stared down the woman, her voice    
quavering with a sob as she cried, "You heard me!  SAILOR MOON    
LIVES!!!"     
            The woman stared at her for a moment and then nodded.     
"Interesting, young one, I never would have thought that of you... Oh well,    
too bad I'm going to kill you all anyways, that was very interesting,    
though."     
            "NOOO!!!"     
            "Yes!"  The woman grinned as she summoned a dark force, and    
black energy collected at her fingertips... she released it...     
                 
            Time slows down sometimes...      
     
            The dark energy streaked towards all three of them...  Neptune    
was on her feet, screaming... pulling on the bonds that coursed pain    
through her body... sobbing, screaming... and with all of the forces     
she could muster, she tore at the bonds, and they ripped from her body.     
Then she was moving, moving... diving in front of... Sailor Moon... to    
cover her, to save her.  To preserve this one of good and light, this one who    
would give up anything and everything... and Haruka... they loved    
forever... and forever never ends...     
                 
            She heard Sailor Moon chanting something behind her...     
                 
            As the power hit her she cried out.  As she slumped to the ground,    
she heard other cries, from other voices... Now they show up...     
     
            Black.     
     
            *          *          *     
     
            White.     
                 
            She judged from the ceiling that it was a hospital room.  She tried    
to sit up, but discovered the only response her body was giving her was    
pain.  So she moved her head to look around.  Haruka... Usagi...  She    
turned to her left.  Kino Makoto sat sleeping in a chair beside the bed.     
            She whispered, "Makoto-san... Makoto-san..."  She found her    
voice gravelly, probably from it's disuse.     
            The younger girl started, rubbed her eyes, and then looked at her.     
"Michiru-san!!" she said softly.  "You're awake!!  You've been out for    
about a week and a half.  After we finally disposed of that woman, we    
found you and Usagi... she used enough of her power to shield everything    
from destruction in that woman's attack, we got you guys to a hospital--"     
            "Usagi?"     
            Makoto smiled, "She's in another room, and is healing just fine.  I    
think her powers accelerate her healing, she's already chasing Mamoru    
around."  She grinned.  "Anything else?"     
            "Haruka..."     
            The girl smacked her forehead with her right palm, "Duh."  Then    
she grinned and pointed across Michiru to the other side of the room.       
            Michiru turned to look.  The other bed's occupant turned to look    
at her as well... with tears in her eyes, "Michiru."     
            Michiru's heart pounded with joy as tears leapt to her eyes,    
"Haruka."     
     
            "Forever."     
     
            "Forever."     
     
            Unbidden Joy.     
     
End.  
  



	3. Rei

Lifelines  
Rei  
By : MakotoJade

**The following is a stream of consciousness story. The thoughts take place within the mind of one Rei Hino as she watches her friends die during the final battle with Beryl/Metalia. I remember watching the episode as Rei stared off into the distance, and I wondered what was running through her mind. This is one interpretation.**

Sailor Mars stared at the sight; it wasn't happening! It couldn't be... NOO! She wanted to yell out the word, but she couldn't do it, her mouth wouldn't form the word... Not Minako! It should have been me, now I'm the only one left-

Sailor Moon was sobbing, screaming. Why is this happening? Luna trained us, we practiced! These demons are strong- oh so strong, but we are stronger! ... we were stronger ... Her mind went into a flashback as the events of the past weeks came to her...

And as the four of them stared, Usagi, Sailor Moon hovered in the air for a moment, and then her costume shredded and reformed. A brilliant white light flashed... and then a Goddess stood in Sailor Moon's place. Sailor Mars gasped along with the others. Then the Goddess opened her eyes, and immediately fell to her knees calling Tuxedo Mask. Zoicite blasted energy at her, but with a word from her mouth, the Goddess summoned enough force to slam him against the wall across the room. He fell to the floor. In the next few moments, a memory exchange went on between the Goddess and her dying prince, and then she was Sailor Moon once more... and fainted. The others rushed to her side - And Sailor Mars found herself holding Tuxedo Mask, shaking him, begging him to wake up... until he was abruptly snatched by Beryl.

The emotions caused by that moment now resurfaced. Sailor Mars found herself glaring for a moment at her sobbing leader... Why did she deserve him? None of them deserved any of this, and it was all… ALL because of her. Why her, why ALWAYS her? The flashbacks continued...

They were desperately trying to get out of the tower. Sailor Moon was weak... and whining... and then Kunzite was there, ready to attack. Venus and Jupiter tried, but to no avail. Then Sailor Mars stepped forward as a raging blaze of hatred filled her, and attacked... but he simply batted her and her attack away and she found herself semi-unconscious. She could vaguely sense Mercury trying to protect the newfound princess, but then her defiance was quashed as well. Sailor Moon was alone, cowering in fear. Then... almost telepathically, Minako reached out to Sailor Moon, encouraging her. Deep within the body of Sailor Jupiter, Makoto  
encouraged Sailor Moon as well. Although Rei felt they were dead already, she joined the chorus and added her bit. But as Ami finished her words...

Sailor Moon seemed to change, she stood, and alone "For my friends", with nothing but love in her heart and mind, "For our UNIVERSE!" defeated Kunzite.

She was strong... occasionally, but weren't they always helping her out? Sailor Mars turned and grabbed the distraught Sailor Moon and pulled her, stumbling, up the side of the snow-covered hill they had been standing near the base of. Then she stopped at the top, staring off into the distance , as another memory came... no... not one memory, but a rush and jumble of many memories...

Usagi had been so jealous when Rei and Mamoru had gone out on dates... why? Was it not petty jealousy but that, pressed down, behind other things, shadowed by Usagi, lay the memories of a Princess, longing for the man she loved? Then there was the utter and absolute devastation which Usagi went through... and still was going through, every waking moment of every minute of every day since that shard had ripped through Tuxedo Mask.

Rei knew she liked him, thought she might have loved him, but as she saw that devastation... she knew she would never have been like that... that total and utter destruction... even as Usagi laughed, there was a pain behind her eyes.

They had been on a snow covered hill not long ago and Usagi had pulled that locket out and played it... Rei probably would have bashed her head in had not she seen where Usagi had pulled the locket from... the left breast pocket of her shirt... over her heart... They had no time for that, no time! But yet, there it was…

And then the most vivid memory shimmered into existence. The teleport to and vivid recollection of the Moon Kingdom and Queen Serenity. Seeing Endymion and the Princess, and their love for each other. Kunzite attacked them and they were too weak. Jupiter, Venus,  
Mercury, and Mars Powers combined could not stand long against Kunzite's assualt. And, then, as they, who felt they were strong fell to their knees, she stepped out of their protection and batted back Kunzite's lethal attack, killing him... not a glimpse of fear passing her features  
the entire time, she wanted to save her friends...

The insight slammed into Sailor Mars. She was wrong, so totally and utterly wrong. Usagi was stronger than she ever would be... her heart was bigger, more loving, then all of theirs combined. And, with that strength of heart, she could defeat any enemy. Because of that damnable optimism and eternal belief in all that was happy, beautiful, shiny, and cuddly-fuzzy in the world, she would always triumph in the end.

She _was_ strong... oh so strong... She deserved Mamoru more than Rei ever would... And not only that, but if there was even the slightest chance that the world would be saved in the end… Usagi would be the one to do it.

Sailor Mars realized that Sailor Moon had been shaking her, begging her to go back, to train more, to fight later… _I don't want you to die Rei!_

Inside Rei burst into tears, outside Sailor Mars turned to Sailor Moon, with a love in her eyes and explained to her that she alone was the only one strong enough to defeat Beryl. She told Sailor Moon that it was time for her to go. Then she smiled, turned, and ran to fight.

In her last moments as the darkness consumed her, satisfied at how many she had taken down with her, she wished with all her might that Usagi had known how great she was... and she wished she had given her a hug good bye.


End file.
